Reds 3, Nationals 2
WASHINGTON -- Shortstop Eugenio Suarez hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.
Suarez, who went 3-for-4 to raise his average to .329, broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a single to left field off Washington starter Doug Fister.
In the eighth, with the score 2-2, Suarez connected on an 0-2 pitch from Casey Janssen (0-2) that landed in the first few rows just inside the left field foul pole for his third home run of the year.
Manny Parra (1-1) tossed one inning of hitless relief for the win. Newly minted All-Star Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning for his 17th save, and the last-place Reds improved to 4-0 against the National League East-leading Nationals this season.
Second baseman Danny Espinosa hit his ninth homer of the season for Washington, which saw center fielder Denard Span and third baseman Yunel Escobar make early exits for unspecified reasons.
After a 29-minute rain delay in the first inning, both teams capitalized on mistakes to get on the board.
The Reds scored in the second inning thanks to an error by the normally sure-handed Fister. Cincinnati catcher Brayan Pena chopped a ball in front of the plate that Fister grabbed, but perhaps not realizing he had the slow Pena lumbering down the line, Fister hurriedly threw the ball past first baseman Clint Robinson and down the right field line, allowing Pena to move to second. Pena later scored on a single by Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani.
The Nationals used a two-out rally in the third to even things up.
Left fielder Matt den Dekker and Escobar reached on singles. After a walk by right fielder Bryce Harper loaded the bases, DeSclafani bounced a curveball into the dirt and off Pena's chest in front of home plate. A hustling den Dekker took advantage of the wild pitch and just beat the throw home with a hard slide.
Fister allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings, while DeSclafani yielded two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
NOTES: Nationals RHP Max Scherzer was selected to the National League All-Star team by Giants manager Bruce Bochy after going 9-6 over the season's first half. "It's awesome. It's one of the highest honors in the game to be selected to play in an All-Star Game," Scherzer said. ... Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman was named to the NL team after earning 16 saves in 17 opportunities. ... Washington RF Bryce Harper said he would not participate in this year's Home Run Derby, primarily due to the fact that his father recently had rotator cuff surgery and could not throw to him. "He knows my sweet spot," Harper said. ... The Reds recalled OF Yorman Rodriguez from Triple-A Louisville and optioned RHP Josh Smith to Double-A Pensacola. ... The Nationals put RHP David Carpenter on the paternity list and recalled LHP Sammy Solis from Triple-A Syracuse.